Folding table



Feb. 25, 1941. R, H 2,233,202

FOLDING TABLE Filed, Jan. 22, 1940 IN VEN TOR.

a gaialmwo/y ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2 Claims.

The invention has for an object to effect improvements in foldingtables, and particularly to the end of providing a table of extremelysimple construction, which will be light and durable and adapted tosustain comparatively heavy loads. It is a particular aim to provide atable of this type which may be set up to afford a table top surface ofconsiderable dimension, and yet which may be collapsed and folded so astobe packed into an extremely small size, and which may be carried afterthe manner of a valise, without sacrifice of a good substantiallycontinuous table top surface. It is an object of the invention topresent such a table which is adapted to use as a picnic table, and alsoas a work table for various trades, for display of samples or the like,and for such other general uses as a table may be applied to. Theinvention has been successfully applied to use as a paper-hangers table,for which use it is especially valuable and well adapted.

It is an important aim of the invention to provide a combined foldingand sectional table in which novel functions in certain structuralelements are attained, to the end of minimizing fastenings and otherelements. This is particularly the purpose in connection with a combinedbridge tension and section connecting means, whereby table sectionshorizontally adjacent are connected together and at the same time bracedso as to afford a truss action. It is also an aim to provide a novelconstruction in the particular connections and fastenings employed.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in theembodiment of the invention, as will be understood from the followingdescription and accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a table embodying my invention as set up for use.

Figure 2 is an end view thereof.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the table sections arranged in properrelative order for assembly to complete the table, three of the strutelements being in operative position, and two of the section connectionsbeing shown engaged, while a third truss member on one section is shownin folded position with the respective fastenings not connected. Thelegs in this view are all shown in folded position.

Figure 4 is a perspective of the complete table collapsed and assembledin its package form for porting.

Figure 5 is a detail of one of the longitudinal truss connections.

Figure 6 is a side view thereof.

Figure '7 is a view of one of the transverse connections.

Figure 8 is a similar view showing the connection in use.

There is illustrated a table comprising four table top sections Ill, II,I2 and I3, of rectangular form, and each comprising a quarter of thetotal area of the top of the finished table. Each of these sectionscomprises a table face piece M, which may be of laminated wood or othersuitable thin and tough facing material, with a reinforcing edge frameI5 into which the face piece I I is mortised, after which it isotherwise secured as. may be desired. The edge frame portion I5 has beenformed of end rails I6 and side rails I! of a suitable Wood, and in oneembodiment of the invention stock strip one-half inch thick by one and aquarter inches wide has been used, the major transverse dimensionthereof extending vertically with respect to the plane of the tablepiece. The side and end rails are suitably joined at the four corners ofthe sections, and are separately reinforced by metal straps I8 appliedto the outer sides of the corners at the outer ends of the section, andsimilar straps I9 may be applied at the inner sides of the innercorners, if desired, or may be omitted at these corners, as foundpreferable.

All four of the sections are provided with two legs 28 at their outerends, these legs being pivoted immediately against the side rails IT, by

means of a pin 2i extended through the side rail and through the leg,the pin being supported at its inner end in an ear bracket 22 securedagainst the inner face of the adjacent end rail I6, one ear of thebracket being close against the leg 20 and receiving the end of the pin2| therethrough. The legs are all cut from one inch board stock arrangedso as to lie flat against the under side of the table face pieces Itwhen the legs are swung inwardly against the table piece. The legs maybe tapered, preferably at their inner sides, so that their outer edgeswill lie snug against the side rails I! when the legs are'folded.Folding stay elements 23 may be connected between the legs and the siderails I Lin accordance with approved practice in card table legs and thelike, these devices, as well known, being adapted to hold the legs inextended position until manipulation of extended stay elements 23 topermit folding movement.

In each of the sections I0, I I, I2 and I3 a longitudinally arrangedcentrally pivoted truss Wing 24 is provided, this, in the presentinstance, in each of the sections consisting of a simple board of oneinch thick stock and having one rectilinear top edge 25, a short outerend edge 26 and a long inner end edge 21 at right angles to the firstnamed edge, and a diagonal edge 28 extending from the short end edge andstopping near the inner end edge 21, where a short bottom edge 29 isformed, parallel to the top edge 25 before mentioned. Near the edge 25,openings 30 are formed through the boards near each end, and bolts 3|are engaged through the adjacent end rails 16 and through the endportions of the board, ex-

tending into the openings 39, where nuts 32 are engaged on the bolts tohold these wing members pivotally assembled between the end rails of thesection, and free for movement from position flat against the under sideof the table face l4 to a position at right angles thereto. On thesections I and I2, the edge portion 29 'of the truss wing are providedwith a hook plate 33, while on the corresponding edge portion of thewing 24 of the section II a lever 36 is pivoted at the extreme adjacentend of the wing, on which there is pivoted a distance from its fulcrumalock plate 31 extended thereupon and formed with a key head 38 adaptedto engage the hook portions 39 on plate 33, there being two of the hooks39, and a shank portion of the plate 31 being adapted to extend betweenthese hooks while the head portion engages in the hooks, so that whenthe lever 36 is pressed downwardly it will draw the plate 31 toward thesection II of the table, and the head portion 38 will thereupon engagethe hooks 39 and draw the section l0 toward the section I I, setting upa tension between the end portions of the Wings by which the two tablesections are pressed longitudinally together, and also sufficienttension established to properly sustain loads upon the table without itssagging.

In the section 12 of the table, the Wing has mounted thereupon a hookplate 33 as before de scribed, and the wing 24 of section l3 has the Ilock plate mounted thereon in the same manner as in the case of sectionI l, before described. Upon the wing 24 of one section at each end ofthe table, there is permanently pivoted a tie bar 40, which has beenmade of wood one inch in cross section, and pivoted near the outer partof the Wing, so that when swung into alinement with the wing, it may lieagainst the sloping edge of the wing, stopping short of the edge portion29, as shown in the upper left hand quarter of the table illustrated inFigure 3. This bar is, however, of sufiicient length to extend intoengagement across the edge portion of the wing of the laterally adjacenttable section when both wings are turned into a plane vertical to thetable top, as shown at the right in Figure 3, where the bar 4!] ispivoted on the wing 24 of section l2, and extended into engagement withthe wing of section II. On the last named wing a p-in4l is set in thelower edge thereof, and thereadjacent a keeper piece 42 is provided,which in the present instance, is substantially Z-shaped in elevation,its lower flange portion being secured pivotally upon the edge of thewing so that it may be turned to bring its opposite end portion over thepin 4|, or may be turned away therefrom. The end of the bar 40 is formedwith an aperture therein into which the pin 4| may be fitted when thekeeper 42 is turned out of the way. The wings being moved to verticalposition with respect to the table sections, it will be seen that thebar 40 may be swung over th pins 4! so as to enter the I apertured endof the bar, and the retainer 42 then swung so that its outer end liesover the bar and will hold it against accidental detachment from thepin. By pivoting the bar on a secure sturdy pin, and by the proper fitof the pin 4! in the end of the bar, it will be readily understood thatthis bar thereby serves to hold the wings in their extended position,and also to act as a transverse tie between the laterally adjacentsections, as illustrated, at right in Figure 3. A similar bar is alsomounted on the wing 24 of section l3, adapted to be engaged with the pin4| on the wing of section 12 and to be retained by a keeper element 42,as first described, these parts being shown with the bar in foldedposition and the keeper element in open position at the left, in Figure2.

In the use of this article, the parts being constructed as described,the table sections may be laid upside down upon a floor and arranged inthe order first enumerated, in clockwise order, with the inner ends ofsections Iii and II abutting, as is the case with sections l2 and [3,while the two longitudinally abutting sections are arranged in closelateral abutment with the other two longitudinally arranged sections, asshown in Figure 3. The wings 24 are then turned upwardly, and connectedby the devices 36, 3! and 39, which may be termed a trunk latch. Thebars 40 are then connected across the wings. 24. The bar 40 thus servesas a transverse tie between laterally adjacent sections, .While thetrunk latch device serves as a longitudinal tie as well as a tensionelement in the truss formed by the two wings 24 when connected. Theparts being con:

nected as thus described and the legs 20 moved to extended position, thetable legs may then be set in erect position and used as required. Thetable top sections may be made in various proportions, appropriate todifierent table sizes, and the legs may be made of standard table leglength for all sizes, if desired, or may be made shorter, as required,for special uses. When the table is to be dismantled and packed fortransportation, the bars 44 are disconnected and the trunk latch tiesalso, after which the bars are folded into alinement with the respectivewings and all the wings folded downwardly against the under faces of thetable top parts, after which any suitable means may be used to securethe folded sections in flat relation, as shown in Fig ure 4, straps 45being shown pivoted on the sections at one side and hooked with pins onthe section at the opposite side of the stack and a carrying handle 46being attached to the edge of one section, so that the package: may bethereby readily transported manually.

While I have disclosed a specific construction and form of theinvention, this purely exemplary, and various changes in proportions'andconstruction of parts may be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, as more particularly set forth in the claims.

I claim:

l. A table of the character described comprise ing four table topsections arranged in lateral and longitudinal abutment to formrespective quarters of 'a complete table top, foldab-le, coengaging legmembers pivoted on axes transverse to the table top on the outer endsonly of the sections, and movable to lie flat against the top of therespective sections, longitudinal wing element on each section eachpivoted on a longitudinal axis to lie flat against the top of thesection at one time and to swing into vertical relation thereto atanother, the wing elements of longitudinally abutting sections beingalined, and a tension sustaining separable fastener device forconnecting the lower parts of mutually adjacent wings to hold the tablesections together and to sustain load tension to prevent sagging of thetable top at its transverse joints, and separate means to connect thelaterally adjacent sections.

2. A table of the class described consisting of quadrilateral tablesections, each including a planiform table top face member, and allarranged in longitudinal and lateral abutment to form respectivequarters of a complete table top, a wing element longitudinally arrangedcentrally on each section normally vertical to the table top and eachpivoted on a longitudinal axis close to its upper edge and to the topface member to fold flat against the latter, said Wing having aninclined lower edge extending close to the pivot at the outer end,separable tension fastenings between mutually adjacent longitudinallyalined ends of the wings to form of each two a truss, a bar pivoted onsaid inclined edge of one wing at each end of the table adapted to lieGEORGE R. 'FINCH.

